Messages, Witness Testimony Shed Light on Greek Basketball Match-Fixing Case

The six individuals face allegations relating to bribery, passive bribery and match-fixing of basketball games.

All six, who remain in custody, have denied the allegations and are preparing their defenses ahead of providing initial testimony to judicial authorities.

The investigation, led by sports prosecutor Apostolos Grammenos, followed a complaint filed by Maroussi BC in April. Two witnesses have provided information, documents and messages that authorities consider significant.

According to information emerging from the case file, investigators are examining approximately 50 games played between 2016 and 2026, including a match held outside Greece. Nearly 800,000 euros in cash was reportedly found during searches linked to the investigation, while foreign media have described the case as a major scandal in Greek basketball.

One message cited in the case file allegedly reads: “Team X absolutely has to lose. I want to crush them wherever I find them because they are my enemies.” The message is reportedly attributed to one of the accused.

A second message allegedly sent by a female referee concerns a request to reserve a room in her name at a luxury hotel in the Peloponnese. According to sources familiar with the investigation, the reservation was confirmed to have taken place in 2018.

Among the games under scrutiny are matches involving PAOK, Aris and AEK, played in various years between 2018 and 2026. The investigation is examining allegations of interference in refereeing decisions and possible financial arrangements connected with the games.

Olympiacos and Panathinaikos have not been implicated in the allegations reported in connection with the case.

Witnesses Describe Alleged Payments, Pressure on Referees

One of the two witnesses, an active referee who has reportedly submitted messages in support of his account, has referred to approximately 30 second-division basketball games between 2018 and 2026 in which he claims to have received instructions from a businessman under investigation on how to officiate.

According to his testimony, he did not receive money in return but continued to be appointed to important games. His account forms part of the broader investigation into alleged interference in refereeing appointments and decisions.

The second witness, a businessman who chairs a second-division club, reportedly told authorities that he received 50,000 euros from Liolios, who was then president of Promitheas Patras, as financial assistance intended to help his team advance. He said the money was never requested back.

The witness further alleged that, in the following game, the female referee now under investigation was appointed and received 5,000 euros to ensure his team’s victory, which he described as a gesture of gratitude for a favor he had done for Liolios.

The same witness reportedly claimed that in 2016 he received another 100,000 euros from Liolios through an intermediary in exchange for resigning as his club’s president. According to the account, the aim was to facilitate Promitheas’ promotion to the top division, where Liolios was heading the club.

A separate statement by a former referee concerns a game played outside Greece. The witness reportedly said a foreign colleague had alleged that one of the accused offered him 10,000 euros to officiate the match in a particular way.

The two witnesses have not been prosecuted in connection with their testimony, with the prosecutor reportedly deciding not to bring charges against them. Their accounts and the material they submitted are now being assessed by the judicial investigator, who is gathering evidence and may expand the list of suspects if further responsibilities emerge.

The six people named in connection with the case are Liolios, referees Vaso Tsaroucha, Petros Papatrou, Tasos Piloidis and Ilias Koromilas, and, former player Giorgos Mavraganis. The allegations concern games in both the top division and lower leagues over a period of approximately 10 years. The EOK board met on Wednesday as the investigation continued, while the federation has said it will follow the procedures required by the relevant authorities.

Sports Ministry Suspends Funding Pending Audits

Meanwhile, in a latest development on Thursday, Sports Minister Giannis Vroutsis ordered the temporary suspension of state subsidies to the Hellenic Basketball Federation and requested extraordinary financial and administrative audits following the allegations.

The ministry said the measures were prompted by developments in Greek basketball and the judicial investigation into individuals holding institutional positions in the federation’s administration and refereeing structures.

The minister requested a special fiscal and administrative audit of the federation’s accounts for the 2024, 2025 and 2026 financial years by a special finance ministry directorate. A separate financial and administrative audit has also been requested from the National Transparency Authority.

The ministry noted that suspected match-fixing can trigger financial sanctions in addition to criminal and disciplinary penalties. These include restrictions on sports organizations’ funding through the annual distribution of proceeds from gambling.